The use of prescribed clauses (PLCs) in leases was introduced under the Land Registration (Amendment) (No 2) Rules 2005.

The changes were intended to make the lease registration process easier, faster, more accurate and more efficient for the Land Registry. For many years, the Registry struggled to find critical registrable information in a lease document - which can be any length from 2,000 to 20,000 words long.

The system compels registrants to record all the information the Registry needs in one place - effectively a summary of the details of the agreement, and all the information that the Registry needs in order complete registration.

The regulations require that the prescribed clauses are placed together at the beginning of the document. Most practitioners have taken the view that the easiest way to be certain of compliance is to draw the document they want, then add the prescribed clauses in a couple of extra pages, tacked onto the opening page of the lease. This effectively duplicates the provision of the information because, of course, it is all still there in the remainder of the document itself.

So, when the PLCs are added as additional pages, their status is that they are information for the Registry only and not part of the contract.

PLCs do not change contractual rights or obligations. They are just a means of communicating important information to the Registry. The tenant has no obligation for the PLCs (although he will probably request proof that the lease has been registered).

In anticipation of most registrants using the “separate pages” method rather than re-jigging the lease itself, the Land Registry has supplied a style and format for the PLCs.

You should use a black font in at least 10pt size.

The Registry suggests that a tabular format is the best way to present the information. In the left hand column should be the title of the information they require and a box number. You should insert the information on the right hand side.

The PLCs can either contain the necessary information or can contain a cross-reference to the relevant parts of the lease.

They should be attached to the front of the document so that the Land Registry can find them easily.

Required information

These clauses required are:

LR1: Date of lease

LR2: Title number(s)

LR3: Parties to the lease

LR4: Property

LR5: Prescribed statements

LR6: Term for which the Property is leased

LR7: Premium

LR8: Prohibitions or restrictions on disposing of the lease

LR9: Rights of acquisition

LR10: Restrictive covenants given in this lease by the Landlord in respect of land other than the Property

Specific register entries relating to the inclusion or exclusion of easements in the lease will be made in the register. This will help to make clear which easements in the document are included or excluded from the registration. The absence of any register entry will mean that no easements are included in the registration.

For leases received by the Land Registry 19 June, PLCs are not required. When the lease ends and a new one is drawn up, the new one will have to comply with the new rules, and will require the clauses to be entered at the top of the lease document.

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